MODULE 9

VYGOTSKY’S
SOCIO-CULTURAL
THEORY
Lev Vygotsky

(November 17, 1896 -

June 11, 1934 )

Russian psychologist
FACTORS IN COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT

 SOCIAL INTERACTION

 CULTURAL FACTORS

 LANGUAGE
PIAGET VS VYGOTSKY
 SOCIAL INTERACTION

PIAGET VYGOTSKY
-his theory was more -his theory was more
individual social
-focus heavily on -more weight on the
how individuals social interaction
cognitive that contributed to
development the cognitive
development
 CULTURAL FACTORS

PIAGET VYGOTSKY
-believed that as the -looked into wide
child develops and range of experience
mature, he goes that a culture would
through universal give to a child.
stages of cognitive
development
 LANGUAGE

VYGOTSKY
-learners can use language to know and
understand the world and solve
problems.
-language serves a social function but it
also has an important individual
function. It helps the learner regulate
and reflect on his own thinking.
 LANGUAGE

-children learn best trough hands-on

activities than when listening
passively.
-learning by doing is even made more
fruitful when children interact with
knowledgeable adults and peers.
 PIAGET VS. VYGOTSKY

- Vygotsky did not break down development

into a series of predetermined stages as
Piaget did.

- Vygotsky stresses the important role that

culture plays, suggesting cultural differences
can have a dramatic effect on development.
Piaget’s theory suggest that development is
largely universal.
 PIAGET VS. VYGOTSKY

- Piaget’s theory focuses a great deal of

attention on peer interaction while
Vygotsky’s theory stress the importance of
more knowledge adults and peers

- Vygotsky’s theory heavily stressed the role

that language plays in development,
something that Piaget largely ignored.
ZONE OF PROXIMAL DEVELOPMENT(ZPD)

-The difference between what the child can

accomplish alone and what she can
accomplish with the guidance of others.

-When a child attempts to perform a skill

alone, she may not be immediately proficient
at it. So, alone she may perform at a certain
level of competency.
-However, with the guidance of MORE
KNOWLEDGEABLE OTHER (MKO),
competent adult or a more advanced peer, the
child can perform at a higher level of
competency.
 SCAFFOLDING

-the support or assistance that lets the

child accomplish a task that he/she
cannot accomplish independently.
-it is not doing a task for the child
while he watches
-it is not about doing shortcuts.
 MKO SCAFFOLDS

FOUR LEVELS:

1. I DO, YOU WATCH

2. I DO, YOU HELP
3. YOU DO, I HELP
4. YOU DO, I WATCH
“ WHAT A CHILD CAN DO
IN COOPERATION TODAY,
TOMORROW SHE/HE
WILL BE ABLE TO DO
ALONE”
- LEV VYGOTSKY
THANKYOU 